1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multilayer capacitor that realizes reduced equivalent series inductance (ESL), and more particularly, to that suitable for use as a multi-terminal multilayer ceramic chip capacitor capable of reducing voltage fluctuation of a power source of a CPU.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, due to an improved processing speed and a higher integration degree of a CPU (central processing unit) used for a data processor, its operating frequency is becoming higher and its current consumption is remarkably increasing. In accordance therewith, the operating voltage has been on the decreasing trend due to reduced power consumption. This has caused the occurrence of a higher-speed and larger current fluctuation in a power source for supplying power to the CPU, and it has become very difficult to control voltage fluctuation accompanying this current fluctuation, within an allowable value range of this power source.
Therefore, as a measure for stabilizing the power source, a multilayer capacitor as a smoothing capacitor is disposed in the vicinity of the CPU in the state of being connected to the power source and has come in frequent use. By quick charge/discharge at the time of a high-speed transient current fluctuation, the multilayer capacitor supplies a current to the CPU, thereby reducing the voltage fluctuation of the power source.
Here, the structure of internal electrodes of a multilayer capacitor of this conventional example is shown in FIG. 12(A) to FIG. 12(H) and the multilayer capacitor of the conventional example will be described based on the drawings. Specifically, this multilayer capacitor is structured such that ceramic layers 114 having internal electrodes 121 to 128 thereon respectively are stacked in the order of FIG. 12(A) to FIG. 12(H) so that capacitance is obtained, thereby forming a dielectric element. These internal electrodes 121 to 128 are led out to two side faces facing each other of the dielectric element in sequence, so that the respective internal electrodes 121 to 128 are connected to not-shown terminal electrodes provided on the side faces facing each other of the multilayer capacitor.
However, today's trend toward a still higher frequency of the operating frequency of the CPU has resulted in higher-speed and larger current fluctuation, and consequently, equivalent series inductance (ESL) that the multilayer capacitor itself has become relatively large. As a result, this equivalent series inductance gives a significant influence to the voltage fluctuation of the power source.
Specifically, in the conventional multilayer capacitor used in a power source circuit of the CPU, due to the high ESL being a parasitic component, total inductance of a circuit having this multilayer capacitor has become high. As a result, this ESL hinders charging/discharging of the multilayer capacitor in accordance with the occurrence of the current fluctuation, which tends to increase the voltage fluctuation of the power source. Therefore, it is becoming impossible to respond to a future increase in speed of the CPU.